Mists of Pandaria: Cooking Preview, Part 2

Since we last did a cooking preview a few months ago, there's been some new additions we wanted to share with you! We've leveled up cooking to show you the new feast models, found locations for all the cooking materials, and previewed some of the cooking vanity rewards and the story behind Cooking School Bell.

To recap the basics: cooking will be split up into six specializations in Mists of Pandaria. Leveling one will level your overall cooking, and you will learn dishes that give a specific stat buff. It is possible to level multiple specializations for achievements, and there are also new easy ways to go from 1-525 cooking in Pandaria. Our earlier preview covers the recipes for each specialization and the new low-level recipes.

New Feasts

The new Pandaren feasts are a departure from the serving platters of previous expansions. Instead, they are large tables with detailed tasty meals! These feasts give +250 of a primary stat normally and +275 if it matches up with your cooking specialization, except if it's Banquet of the Brew. You will need 575 skill to cook these feasts.

Obtaining this trinket will take a lot of work--it costs 100 Ironpaw Token, plus you need to have previously completed To Be a Master, which requires you to cook max level food for each cooking specialization.

The bell will summon Nomi, who then gives you additional quests. These quests grant reputation, but the reputation is for the specific NPC, not a larger faction.

Hitting exalted with Nomi rewards Now I Am the Master. Getting to this point takes a lot of work, so maybe there are other rewards in the future, like BoA Cooking.

Once you unlock a new quest, you can complete the earlier quests on the same day, cutting down on time.

Ingredients

Fishing, Meat, and Vegetables are the three types of ingredients needed for Zen Master Pandaren recipes.

They can be found as drops from mobs, but varying quantities of these items (5x meat and fish, 25x vegetables like Sack of Scallions) can also be bought for one Ironpaw Token. Combine a certain amount of materials (20x meat and fish, 100x vegetables) with containers like Empty Emperor Salmon Container to create a Bundle of Groceries. This completes Replenishing the Pantry, which gives you the needed token. This quest can be repeated as much as you like each day and allows you to convert excess cooking materials into ones you actually need.

Comment by Ciono

Comment by Vrominelli

on 2012/07/10 11:20:00

I'm glad that they're finally changing up cooking, now I'll be waiting on first aid & fishing...

Comment by razormoose

on 2012/07/10 13:06:32

So let me get this straight, the feasts give 250 stats/275 if they match your spec, but normally buff food gives 300. I guess this is a kick in the teeth for all the lazy ones out there that expect there buff food to be from a feast.

Comment by perculia

on 2012/07/10 13:27:45

Keep in mind that the materials for the +300 buff food will be steep--requiring materials that only drop from level 90 zones and cost Ironpaw tokens--so feasts will be more manageable for regular raiding. I could see making some special food for progression attempts, but a stack of the best buff food will take 20 grocery crates/tokens in addition to all the other mats needed.

Comment by Interest

Maybe if they did that I'd reroll my Warrior into a Human and name him Ramsay.

(Lol me and my crazy ideas)

Comment by Robotusch

on 2012/07/10 17:18:49

An interesting change over cooking as it is now, with the various combinations required even for the "base" food. Not sure if it was required, but as someone whose gold income generally relies on fishing and cooking, I shan't complain.

Comment by atomicwolf22

on 2012/07/10 21:19:34

@ Interest is should be a human Hunter. Name him Gordon and the Pet Ramsey.

The cooking looks good. As far as getting mats for the different Cooking mats that is what alts are for. I don't see them being BoP. That or there could be sold in the Ah for a nice profit also as there be used by people who want the best of everything.

Comment by perringaiden

on 2012/07/10 22:08:14

Assuming that you can get Quest #2 on the 8th day, and aren't required to wait till the 9th etc., Nomi takes 18 days to get the achievement.

Comment by Interest

on 2012/07/10 23:39:05

@ Interest is should be a human Hunter. Name him Gordon and the Pet Ramsey.

The cooking looks good. As far as getting mats for the different Cooking mats that is what alts are for. I don't see them being BoP. That or there could be sold in the Ah for a nice profit also as there be used by people who want the best of everything.

But Hunters don't spew profanities...and they don't get angry either.

Comment by Treegasim

on 2012/07/11 01:26:03

it would be awesome to take on an apprentice and lets say they are able to screw up a recipe, make the table and flip it like ur mad at them..idk just something i would do to laugh a lil :)

Comment by Jedi8100

on 2012/07/11 01:56:11

It should also be noted that filling a Golden Carp Golden Carp basket requires 60 of the fish, as opposed to 20 of the others. This is because the Golden Carp are easier to catch than the other regional fish.

Comment by regma

on 2012/07/11 02:02:44

Yes! I can finally can complete my warrior chef look. Thx blizzNow my job as being the unoffical "offical" guild chef is safe.

Comment by Tigronn

on 2012/07/11 06:27:30

dont forget chefs hat

Comment by IcyFrozen

on 2012/07/11 13:16:32

I'm disappointed the Apron, Frying Pan and Rolling Pin don't have a cooking skill bonus individually or a 'set bonus' for cooking. Little more incentive for people to bother doing quests for tokens, if the vanity items had some benefit besides being pretty.. And in all honesty skill bonuses are pretty much vanity anyway..

Comment by Interest

on 2012/07/11 14:59:41

I'm disappointed the Apron, Frying Pan and Rolling Pin don't have a cooking skill bonus individually or a 'set bonus' for cooking. Little more incentive for people to bother doing quests for tokens, if the vanity items had some benefit besides being pretty.. And in all honesty skill bonuses are pretty much vanity anyway..

Who knows? They might.

Comment by dontqqme

on 2012/07/11 16:05:28

finally they are doing something to enhance the proffesions. i love it.

Comment by fltmdk

on 2012/07/11 16:08:33

I love me a cookin bell :) Good times Good times

Comment by fltmdk

on 2012/07/11 16:13:23

i used to hate the cooking proffesion but now it is so much fun plus more dailies not like.